G4G Best of 2013: Oakmont, Hughes, Calgary and disappearing golf writers
In a year when I travelled a fair bit, covered five golf tournaments, caddied in another, made about a dozen trips to various places to see a wide variety of gear and golf courses, there’s surely lots...
View ArticleGraham DeLaet inks deal with Shaw Communications
It has been a busy off-season for Graham DeLaet, who will turn 32 next week, just before the start of his season at Torrey Pines. Today he signed a deal that sees Shaw Communications take a spot on his...
View ArticleThe Daly Grind
On Friday I sent a quick tweet out about John Daly’s second round at the Valspar where he shot 90, including taking a 12 on one hole. Unlike other writers, I tagged Daly on the note: I was surprised to...
View ArticleCrowbush sale falls through: buyer says couldn’t come to agreement with...
Interesting to see in the Guardian that the deal to sell Crowbush Cove is finished: A deal that was in the works to sell the province’s top golf course to a private owner is now off. After months of...
View ArticleFoot golf: A joke or an alternative?
Foot golf. Twelve-hole courses. Bigger holes on greens. Faster rounds. I’ve had a lot of discussion with people in the industry in recent weeks about the “plight” of golf. Every one of these concepts...
View ArticleReturning as Global News’ golf analyst
I was pleased to get a call last week asking me to return to work with Global News. I worked with the network twice last year, on the RBC Canadian Open and the Shaw Charity Classic. I’ll be back at...
View ArticleOntario courses with poa greens struggle to deal with cold weather carnage
Note: The Ontario Golf Superintendents Association commissioned me to address the issue of winter damage on golf courses this year, something that is exceptionally wide spread. The goal is to circulate...
View ArticleGlobal Golf Post: Laval, Coppinwood and the National in the mix for CanOpen
My Global Golf Post column hit inboxes this morning and the coverage of Laval, which kicks off the story, got some social media coverage. However, perhaps I buried the lede on this one: Interestingly...
View ArticleRIP: Mr. Canadian Open, Richard Grimm
I didn’t know Dick Grimm when he was one of the most influential people in Canadian golf. That’s my loss. However, I had the privilege of his acquintance many times over the last decade, always...
View ArticleGlobal Golf Post: PGA Tour Canada’s next steps
My latest Global Golf Post column went live this morning. Click here to give it a read.
View ArticleCP Women’s Open and the plight of London Hunt
On Tuesday, CP and Golf Canada held a media day for the newly minted CP Women’s Open at London Hunt. It is nice to have a home game, one that’s five minutes from my house, and I showed up in time to...
View ArticleCanadian Open field preview: RBC players and few surprises
The Canadian Open field was announced yesterday evening, and frankly there are few if any surprises, and a few disappointing disappearances (namely Jimmy Walker, who was expected to be in the field)....
View ArticleRBC Canadian Open: Day Two wrap
The RBC Canadian Open seems very quiet. Strangely so. Some have blamed a “construction holiday” currently underway in Quebec, and others are blaming lack of promotion by Golf Canada. In fact, that last...
View ArticleCanadian Open: Round one wrap—Taylor Pendrith’s big game
I’d heard lots about Taylor Pendrith, the Canadian amateur with the big game and the massive drives. But yesterday even I was surprised when he nearly drove the green on a 390-yard hole, and averaged...
View ArticleCanadian media attacks on golf make me, well, yawn
What’s that line about Canadians only paying attention to you if you’ve broken south of the border? Well, that’s what we’re seeing with the sudden surge of Canadian stories saying golf is dying. It is...
View ArticleYork Downs interest heats up
Sources are now saying York Downs, the private club in Markham, Ont., has up to 11 offers on the property, with an estimated price of upwards of $325-million. A note to members says the process is now...
View ArticleNew PRO:Formance magazine — Tiger, Rory and Henderson’s rise
I edited (and wrote) most of the new PRO:Formance magazine, which is done in combination with the PGA of Canada and Golf Town, going out to Golf Town leader board members and being distributed through...
View ArticleTaylorMade CEO Ben Sharpe on Dustin Johnson and other PGA Merch show notes
Some quick notes from the PGA Merchandise show, which I attended last week in Orlando. Oh, sunny Orlando…. For one thing, the “death of golf” story seems to have died down. Yep, it wasn’t a great year...
View ArticleGolf Canada’s $1.4 million loss blamed on RBC Canadian Open
I spoke with both Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons and incoming president Paul McLean over the weekend and filed a report for Global Golf Post. I’d note a couple of things: Simmons seems to still want to...
View ArticleOn controversial opinions and the future of golf
I wandered around the Toronto Golf Show for a couple of hours on Friday. In the midst of my meanderings, a friend, a golf pro at a notable public golf course, pulled me aside. “They give you a hard...
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